‘Govt spends K200m annually on rentals’

CHIEF Secretary Isaac Lupari has told the heads of State agencies that the Government is spending K200 million every year on office rentals.
He said every agency, even the small ones, opt to rent expensive office spaces without considering the cost.
“We think money grows from trees. We are not cost-conscious. We think it’s somebody business. How can we spend money like K200m annually on office rentals,” he said.
“This is a lot of money. Some of this money can be spent on essential services, drugs, school materials, rehabilitation of health and education facilities, roads and bridges – if we become cost-sensitive, and little bit more responsible.”
He said the Pineapple Building and Central Government office had been left to rot away for 20 years or so.
“It became an eyesore. It became a symbol of physical and moral decline and decay of our society. Our friends and people from outside who want to do business thought differently about us. Rather than fixing them, we went out and rented all sorts of office buildings at a cost of K200m.”
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has ordered a review of the office rentals.
Lupari said the review could save up to K50 million.
He thanked O’Neill and Public Service Minister Sir Puka Temu.